asked the Minister for Justice if he has received a resolution from the Retail Newsagents' Association urging the Government to initiate a system of licences for wholesale importers and distributors of periodicals and paper backed books so that responsibility for objectionable books would rest with the importers and distributors, and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Importation and Distribution of Periodicals and Books.
I do not think it necessary or desirable to introduce such a system of licensing as is envisaged in the resolution in question of which I have seen reports in the Press. It is unnecessary to introduce such a system of licensing because the principal distributors are well known to the trade and to my Department and it is undesirable to do so because this, in my opinion, would have the effect of weakening the sense of responsibility of the actual seller which is the best protection against the sale of objectionable publications that the public can have.